For the Love of Westerns

I am taking a few classes in the film major courses, particularly the one called ‘The Cinematic Western’ and I have always loved western movies but after spending a few days in this class I have now found a whole new appreciation for the western genre and how it went from b-movies, to big budget movies and how they struggled with sound and their reflection of the time periods. They are amazing and very violent… even for the 30s, 40s and 50s.

We watched “Stagecoach” and we talked about how John Ford was experimenting with different social cliques and how the rough, rugged and socially awkward people; the kind of people that society frowns upon, turned out to be the heroes where as the ones that are prim and proper, the socially expectable ones, turned out to be the ones that were utterly helpless. I guess that’s what you get when you have an outspoken, alcoholic director and a socialist writer.

Today we watched the movie “Shane,” which has always been a favorite of mine. We compared the old ways with the new ways and how the heroes in most westerns could never return to society… they fix society but they can never return to it. This movie is an example of how Shane is between the farmers (old ways) and the ranchers (new ways) and how he is caught up in between. Joey’s family is the new ranchers where as the Ryker brothers are the old traditional ways fighting against the new guys.

I will be watching “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence” and comparing that movie like what we have been with these other movies… well, see ya’ll on the homestead pilgrim! 

Slytherin Beckons

From The Tropical Republics

I was bored so I decided to take a bunch of Facebook “Harry Potter” quizzes and it turns out that the Sorting hat would put me in Slytherin and that with all the evil aside I would stop at nothing to accomplish my goals… plus, I am harsh and pretty pretentious and ignorant, which is what I am. It also said that the “Harry Potter” character that best describes me is Draco Malfoy… that pretty much says the same thing as Slytherin, but I guess I can be an ass most of the time. Well, I better go back to tHogwarts, I better start preparing for the battle tomorrow, there is a huge gathering tonight but tomorrow will be the big finale and I am so excited to the point of sleeplessness.

WISH ME LUCK!!!!

Something Funny I Read

Somebody emailed me this joke and I thought it was kind of funny.

 

“Do you know what happened 159 years ago this fall… back in 1850?

California became a state and:

The people had no electricity.

The state had no money.

Almost everyone spoke Spanish.

There were gunfights in the streets.

So basically nothing has changed except back then the women had real tits and the men didn’t hold hands.”  

Superdawg

So, today after I drove my grandma to the cemetery to visit my grandpa and her first husband, we drove to one of the best hot dog stands in the Chicago area: Superdawg. It’s one of those old 50s style drive in restaurants where the waitress brings the food to your car. Well, I had a Superdawg meal, which was a hot dog, fries and a drink, and my grandma had a bowl of vanilla ice crème with strawberries on top.

What I found interesting was that this place was your typical Chicago hot dog stand and what I mean by that is that they’ll give you a hot dog with everything on it but if you ask for ketchup, they’ll bring you the bottle to put it on yourself.

From The Tropical Republics

The service was good and I enjoyed the nostalgia for it all. I’ll return back, rest assured, but not because of a funeral. 

The Raptor

So I went to the Chicago Auto Show a few months ago and I saw a truck that I fell in love with the moment that I saw it. It’s orange, it looks rugged and it looks like a dinosaur tore it up… it is indeed… The Raptor. Why do I love it? Because, it reminds me of the movie “Jurassic Park,” number 2 on my top 5 movies of all time. 

From The Tropical Republics

Review - The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)

This movie was okay, it could have been written and technically made better but it still kept me on edge… so I guess it was pretty anticipating. I give this movie a 2 ½ out of 5 stars.

July 4th, 2009

HAPPY JULY 4^TH EVERYBODY!!!! HAVE A SAVE INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!

July 4th Pre-Show

So today, I went over to my aunt’s house so that we could take her camper over to the lake and watch the fireworks. For the first half of the evening we helped her moving and rearranging around her camper and then we had our big BBQ outside before the fireworks started. We had cheeseburgers, hot dogs, brownies, chips, corn, potatoes and watermelon. My mom brought our dachshunds and they went apeshit as usual but it’s a cross that we have to bear; all they did was bark and piss and bark and piss and then they would start barking at some random person, get confused and then start barking at me… wiener dogs.

When the fireworks started, it was amazing!!!! They were bright and colorful and loud and so eye pleasing. The show lasted 35 minutes and there were points where the explosions were so loud, car alarms started going off… but it was worth it. By the end of the night, I was happy and even more so when I stalked to NinjaBunny89.

Later on today, I’m going to visit a friend in Chicago where we would be going to the Taste of Chicago, walk around the city and then catch the Navy Pier fireworks. I AM SO EXCITED!!!!

Review - Public Enemies (2009)

So this is my initial thought on the new movie by Michael Mann entitled “Public Enemies.” It was a lot better then I expected and I am starting to enjoy the way that Mann took this movie.

I give it 3 ½ out of 5 stars.